Please Note:
is a non-member guest and is in no way affiliated with InterNACHI or its members.

Not a home inspection

If I was aware of your home buyer's guarantee in August 2018, I would have taken it. The member of your organization will most likely be sued unless his insurance company settles outside of court. I would say this member either concluded with the seller, the agents, both, or totally incompetent. I put a consumer complaint against him where he dismissed signs of water intrusion and plumbing leaks; overlooked organic growth, thought caulking on window panes was normal, and determined wood rot on windows was not a sign of water intrusion. He admitted to noticing stains on the vapor barrier with the presence of organic growth. He declared the organic growth was remedied with a dehumidifier and the vapor barrier, while he seen it present during his inspection. He stated he didn't notice home-made repairs to windows which included cardboard jammed in the outside framing of the window. This inspector didn't notice calcification build-up on a water heater pipe and stated in a rebuttal there were no signs of leaking. We now face over $110k in repairs and growing. He overlooked how some of the support columns in the crawl space were destroyed to fit duct work into the house. He stated he ran all faucets in the house while one drained directly onto the floor. He omitted a hole in the back of the garage wall and verbally reported to me he believed there was a pipe in it without letting me know how he knew that. I say your membership means nothing.

Membership in a professional organization does not guarantee competency or professionalism, nor does state licensing for that matter. You see it in all professions, from doctors and lawyers to electricians and plumbers. So, yes, membership means nothing if one does not take their job seriously. Directly to your situation, InterNACHI's Buy-Back guarantee means nothing if an inspector does not participate in the program and if the client does not notify them of their desire to utilize it.

On the other hand, InterNACHI is unsurpassed in the inspection business for the support it provides the inspector, both through this forum and the numerous educational opportunities it offers. I emphasize the word "opportunities" because if a member does not avail themselves of them, then they are less likely to be well-informed and competent inspectors.

In a perfect world, being licensed, certified, a member of (or any of the other tags people hang on their names) would provide absolute assurance of their competency, but such has never been the case.

I sincerely hope that if this inspector is as incompetent as your post depicts him to be that you receive a fair settlement. Moving forward, when trusting someone with a job as important as a home inspection, don't count on licensing, affiliation, or other ancillary factors to protect you. Referrals from trusted sources is best, with on-line referrals a close second. Selecting an professional based on their reputation and experience rather than price is key as well.

I share your sentiments and was going to take them to task for that, but in point of fact, they are correct. Unless InterNACHI actually refuses membership to inspectors for failure to uphold the SOP or has some other enforcement policy with actual teeth, then for all intents and purposes the membership is without meaning in and of itself.

Point taken WB.
I would have more to say but not on this public forum, except membership means a little more than nothing...

If the OP is pissed & wants to vent without asking questions his intent has been fulfilled.
This section is for "AskNACHI.org forum"
It would be better served by naming the alleged offender on like, Yelp. Not here being misdirected.